A Love Worth Fighting For
by Rosina Marie
Summary: Belle knows he can be a better man and she will do everything in her power to bring out the good in him. Rumplestiltskin is terrified of losing the only woman he has ever truly loved, but knows that she deserves so much more than an old monster. This story is a telling of Season 2 from Belle's POV. Canon-compliant
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is my first foray into writing fanfiction. I hope it's up to your standards. I've been wanting to write this story for a while and have just gotten the chance to do so. I will not be updating on any kind of schedule so bear with me... I don't have a lot of time to write. I hope you enjoy... and please let me know what you think!**

***The usual disclaimers apply- aka if you recognize anything it's not mine.**

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"Wait," I mutter and stop walking as the onslaught of memories invade my mind. My brain feels like it's going to explode with all the information that is coming both quickly and not quickly enough… memories that I was previously unaware that I had.

I remember being a child running through the grand corridors of my father's palace, my fancy gowns trailing behind me. I remember my mother reading to me before bedtime, and then her funeral that came way before her time. I remember growing up with tutors and nursemaids that would teach me and take care of me in my father's absence, which was all too often for my liking. I remember the loneliness that often struck me and how I found solace in books. I remember Gaston, the wealthy knight who I was to marry before the Ogre War began, and how much I despised his superficial personality. I remember the day in the War Room when it was announced that Avonlea had fallen…

"No, no, we're very close." Looking up, my breath catches in my lungs and my heart plummets into my stomach.

Memories, still attacking my mind, show me when The Dark One came to Avonlea at my father's plea to save our village… a strange creature with greenish-gold skin and large speckled eyes that pranced around the War Room and giggled in a most peculiar way. I was instantly captivated by him, intrigued even though a bit frightened. When he set me as his price for saving the village, I knew that I wanted to go with him… not only to be a hero and to fulfill my dream of adventure, but because I was so drawn to him. I had no idea what would become of my future as this man's servant, but I believed that anything could be better than the life I had been dealt.

My time with him was difficult at first but it soon got better. I remember discovering that there was a man beneath the monster and that I had fallen in love with that man… the man who now stands a few yards ahead of me, Rumplestiltskin. He's different… human-looking. I barely recognize him but I know it's him. He is wearing strange clothes, devoid of his customary leather trousers and dragon-hide vests. His hair is no longer wavy, but straight and falling onto his shoulders… brown specked with hints of gray. His skin doesn't sparkle in the sunlight, and he's walking with a cane as if he can't carry himself on his own. I wonder what's wrong with his leg.

He continues trudging up the path through the forest, not realizing that I am here and I now know exactly who he is… and who I am for that matter. "Rumplestiltskin, wait," I call out to him hoping to get his attention by affirming that I remember.

He slowly turns around and I get my first glimpse of the human face that I saw an inkling of when I kissed him before he turned me away from his castle and his life. My stomach is doing somersaults as I see the look on his face that is full of uncertainty and what I hope is hope.

"I-I remember," I stammer as a walk towards him. "I love you," I blurt out… unable to keep the words that I wanted so desperately to say to him inside. Since the day that I left his castle, I swore that if I ever saw him again, I would let my feelings known. That I would make him understand that the only life I want is the one where I'm with him.

My heart's beating at a frantic pace, it almost feels as if it's going to jump right out of my chest and I start to tremble. His arms reach out and he pulls me towards him. I wrap my arms around his neck and I'm in heaven being in his embrace again. There's nowhere else in the world that I want to be. I cling to him as he holds me in his strong arms and I feel my eyes begin to water.

"Yes," I hear him mutter against my ear. "Yes, and I love you too." I feel like the world has stopped spinning as my life is finally set right. I am out of that prison and in the arms of the man that I love… who loves me too. We can be together. That is after we have a long talk. I have so many questions to ask him… the biggest one being why he's human all of a sudden. I thought True Love's Kiss was the only magic that could break his curse.

"But, hey," he says as he loosens his hold on me and begins to move away. I don't want him to move away. I want to stay in his arms like this forever. "There'll be time for that. There'll be time for everything," he says as if reading my mind. "But first, there's something I must do." I smile softly remembering that when Rumplestiltskin is on a mission to do something, nothing can stop him… apparently not even me. I let him go and we continue our trek through the forest to I have no idea where.

After another few minutes of walking, we reach a well in a small clearing of the forest. It looks rather out of place… the stone structure surrounded by trees. I know this is our destination because he stops and fishes for something inside the pocket of his trousers. "What is this?" I ask him knowing it must be something very important for him to be so interested in it.

"This is a very special place, Belle," he says as he withdraws a potion vial from his pocket. In it is a pinkish-colored sparkly liquid. "The waters that run below are said to have the power to return that which one has lost," he continues before dropping the vial into the water.

My skin immediately begins to crawl… magic has always made me feel funny. A second after I hear a slight splash inside the well, I see a thick purple fog erupt from its depths. It spreads out and over the stone sides and eases along the ground toward our feet. I am afraid of what it is and what it will do to me. Even though I trust Rumplestiltskin… and I know I really shouldn't considering he is The Dark One, I'm afraid. I know that I am safe as long as I am with him, but what of other people that this magic might attack?

"I-I don't understand," I stammer hoping he will shed some light onto what he has just done.

"We're in a land without magic, Belle," he says. Well that explains why he is human-looking, I know that it was the magic that turned him into the creature that he was. My memories are still coming to me and a fresh one hits when he says this. The Evil Queen came into my cell one day ranting and raving about a curse that would take away everyone's happy endings by transporting them to another land where they wouldn't remember who they are. I didn't care, for she had already robbed me of mine. But I guess the curse must be broken because I'm getting my memories back. "And I'm bringing it. Magic is coming," he continues and I feel a chill race down my spine.

"Why?" I mutter. Why would he do this? Why would he bring something so powerful and deadly to a world that doesn't know magic? Oh wait, I know that answer… because he is still Rumplestiltskin, a man so obsessed with power that he threw away true love because it posed a threat to that power.

"Why," he replies with a sinister spark in his soft brown eyes. "Because magic… is power," he states confirming what I believe to be true.

The fog continues to wash over us and seeps through the forest and beyond. When it dissipates he turns back towards me, looking at me like he now has all the time in the world… now that his mission to bring magic into this strange land is complete.

"My darling Belle," he says affectionately as he reaches out to me and walks us away from the well. He's said my name a lot today… I don't think he fully believes that I am actually here, due to the look of complete disbelief on his face when I first walked into his shop. For some reason he thought I was dead. I might as well have been. "You have to tell me what happened to you."

What happened to me? Where do I begin? Does he want me to start at the beginning, when I fled the Dark Castle and ended up at a dwarf tavern? Or when the dwarf, Dreamy, encouraged me to join a band of men on a mission to kill a Yaoguai?

"I was abducted," I say deciding to answer the question as to where I have been for the past who knows how many years. That's probably the answer he wants to know… I'll tell him of my other adventures later.

"Regina?" he asks with look of disgust. All I can do is nod, as I think back on the terrible time I had locked up in her tower and then in the asylum I was transported to afterwards.

"She locked me away until her curse, and I've been in the asylum ever since," I tell him voicing my thoughts.

"For twenty-eight years?" he yells, his face twisted in anger and his eyes dark with fury. _Twenty-eight years! _I've been locked up without memories for twenty-eight years? That's a long time to be surrounded by the same four walls… I wonder why I haven't gone mad. Perhaps I did, and none of this is actually happening, it is pretty surreal. All I can do is nod again. He's starting to scare me a little, he looks as livid as he had when Robin Hood stole from him… like he needs to go on a killing spree. And I can't get over the fact that it has been so long.

"All these years, you've been here. Alive." Obviously.

"Is… is that why you did this?" I ask him. "Why you wanted magic? For revenge?" It had to be, he must be furious that he was affected by this curse that brought him to this world that he doesn't belong in. And now he has something else to claim revenge on… me.

"No, no," he replies. "But it might come in handy."

Oh no, I can't let him hurt anyone for my sake, no matter how much I want to personally rip Regina limb from limb. I will not let him tarnish his soul anymore, especially not on my account.

"No. No," I say forcefully hoping that he might listen to me.

"I cannot let this stand, Belle. I will not let this stand!" he yells. He has the same look on his face that I've seen so many times while living with him. He used to get angry so often, for even the littlest of things. I used to be able to calm him down when he went into his fits of rage… I'm hoping I still have that affect on him.

"Look," I say trying to draw his anger away. Maybe making a deal will work… he always did love deals. "Promise me," I begin and I see his expression start to soften. "Promise me you won't give into your hate. Promise me, and we can be together."

His anger seems to be entirely dissipated now and he's looking at me with such affection that I can hardly breathe. I know I've finally gotten through to him. However, that was a lot easier than it used to be… perhaps he has changed for the better since I'd last seen him. I sure hope so.

He reaches out to brush the back of his hand over my cheek and I can feel it trembling slightly. My skin is on fire where he's touching and I can't think of anything but the sensations that he is arousing in me. "Sweetheart," he says softly. He looks like he's about to cry, and I'm having trouble holding back my own tears. "I promise," he finally says before pulling my face closer to his. Our lips meet and I feel as if I'm falling. I wrap my arms around his neck as he pulls me as close to him as possible. There is no better feeling in the world than kissing him… he's making me feel more alive than I've ever felt and I don't want it to end.

When he pulls away, I can't help the smile that crosses my face as I look into his beautiful eyes. I lay my head against his chest and can hear his heart beating just as frantic as mine. I wrap my arms around him and I never want to let go. This is right where I belong… in his arms forever.

"We should be getting back to town," he whispers in my ear after a while of just standing there holding me. "No doubt there will be people searching for me."

I don't want to let go of him but I know that he's right. We can't stay in this forest for the rest of our lives. I disentangle my arms from around his neck and take a step away from him. I look into his new face again and can't stop myself from admiring how handsome he is as an ordinary man… the ordinary man that I wanted so badly all those years ago. He reaches out and grabs my hand and holds it as we start the trek back to town. I'm reminded of another time when we walked through a forest searching for Robin Hood… he was a lot faster then and I had trouble keeping up with his long strides. Now, he's slow in his meandering over the brush with his bad leg.

I get my first real look at this strange town that I barely noticed earlier when I ran through searching for an unknown man. It's very colorful and there are so many people out on the streets that don't even bother to look our way as we walk back toward his shop. He hasn't said a word to me since we left the clearing… I know that he is thinking hard about something. I just don't know what that is.

"You, uh… you wait here, Belle," he says as we enter his shop. "I'm going to find you something to wear. You've spent enough time in these rags." Oh thank goodness… I feel like a mix between a prisoner and a peasant in these clothes.

"Thank you," I reply as he walks into the back room and I take the time to peruse the items inside the dark shop… why is everything so dark with him. It's a beautiful day outside and he has all the curtains pulled… I hope he hasn't resorted to nailing them shut again. As I look around at his collection, I see several items that I recognize from his castle… including those creepy marionettes that I wanted to chuck off the tower on more than a few occasions.

He emerges from the back room after only a couple minutes and looks as if he's on another mission with his eyes a bit glazed. "I laid out some clothes in the back for you to change into," he says when he notices me staring at him. "I'm going to go into town for a little while."

I open my mouth to retort, I don't want him to leave me alone. I don't want to be afraid, but as it turns out… I am. "Don't worry," he says sensing my fear and lightly grabs hold of my upper arms. "I won't be gone long. There's just something I need to take care of."

"I thought you promised not to kill Regina," I remark dryly knowing that that's where he most likely is headed.

"I'm not going to kill her," he replies as he pulls me to his chest. I wrap my arms around him and breathe in his scent. "I just have some business to deal with and then I will be right back. I'll lock the door if you'd like so no one can get in." I nod my head in acquiescence against his shoulder and take a step back.

"I love you," he says as he reaches out a hand to brush along my cheek and moves a piece of my hair behind my ear.

"I love you too," I reply before he steps around me and out the door. I sigh and walk into the back room to find my new clothes.

He has set out several dresses for me to choose from… what he needs women's clothing for is beyond me considering that this isn't a shop that sells clothes. They are all rather small looking… the clothing of this world is so different from what I'm used to. I see a small sleeveless gray dress and a pair of black high-heeled shoes and grab them up.

I quickly change out of the "rags" that I had been wearing and feel awkward in the new dress. It only falls to the middle of my thigh and I suddenly feel rather naked. If this is what women wear in this world, then I guess I better get used to it. I put on the shoes and they add a few inches to my height which makes me happy… I never did like being so short.

Glancing around the room, I notice a hairbrush sitting on a small table in the corner. I grab it and begin to work it through the tangled mess that has become my hair. I need a bath so bad… I can't remember the last time I had a good bath. Not since I left his castle. In the asylum nurses would come in a couple times a week and throw me in a shower… which was freezing most of the time and it only lasted a few minutes.

I wonder where Rumplestiltskin has gone to and what he is doing as I return into the front of the shop. I hope he isn't getting himself into trouble, but I'm almost certain he is. On one of the walls behind the glass counter is a bookshelf. I hurry over to it and run my fingers along the spines of the thick leather-bound tomes. I don't recognize any of the titles… perhaps they are tales from this world. Oh I can't wait to get my hands on this world's literature. I grab out one of the books and look at the title embossed in golden lettering. _A Tale of Two Cities _by Charles Dickens.

I take the book with me back into the back room and settle myself in a comfortable armchair to pass the time until he returns. _It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness…_

"Belle." I am jarred out of my reading by him calling my name. I was so immersed in the tale that I didn't hear him enter the shop.

"I'm back here," I call as he walks through the curtain separating the front of the shop from the back room. I set the book down on the small table next to me remembering that I am on page forty-eight. There is a large grin plastered on his face and I can't help but smile back when I look up at him. "What's so funny?"

"You," he replies affectionately shaking his head. "You never could resist the allure of a good book. Which one have you chosen today?"

I pick up the book and show him the cover. "Ahh, that's one of my favorites."

"So," I say as I rise to my feet not wanting to discuss the book at the moment. "Are you going to tell me where you ran off to?" I have a feeling that he isn't, but I have to at least try to get him to trust me.

"Uh… why don't I go make us a pot of tea?" he replies avoiding the issue. I sigh and give him a look of annoyance then I wave him off. Tea does sound wonderful after all… it's been over thirty years since I've had anything to drink but water.

As I sit back down and open the book up I hear the front door opening. I don't imagine he left again… maybe someone came in. I get up and walk to the curtain. Peering around it I notice three people have entered… a pretty woman with long blonde hair, another woman with short dark hair, and a rather attractive man. I wonder who they are and what they want. I don't want to eavesdrop but sometimes it can't be helped.

Staying out of sight I hear the blonde woman ask Rumplestiltskin what he did. I assume she's talking about bringing magic… I guess that would cause anyone anxiety. Or it could be about what he just did while he was gone. I am quite intrigued by the conversation however I cannot hear every word being spoken. I can tell they are speaking about the purple fog that is the magic… and then all of a sudden the ground shakes beneath me. I lose my balance and almost fall over… I would have if I hadn't been grasping the corner of the doorway.

"What the hell was that?" I hear the blonde woman say.

"That is my gift to you," Rumplestiltskin replies causing my stomach to plummet. What has he done now? "That is going to take care of Regina" What? He promised that he wouldn't kill her. Why would he lie to me? My head is fuzzy and I can feel my eyes begin to tear up. I hear the three people leave and take a deep breath before walking through the curtain to confront him.

"Hey," he says when he sees me emerge as if nothing just happened. I really can't believe him.

"You lied to me." I'm trying so hard to keep it together.

"No, I kept my word. _I_ will not kill her." He looks proud of himself… like he found a loophole in our agreement. I don't want to be just another one of his deals… is that what he thinks of me as? Well, yeah technically I am payment for his deal to protect my village, but I thought we were past that. I thought he loves me as much as I love him. If he truly loves me he would be honest and respect my wishes.

"No," I say as I approach him. "You toy with words like you do people. You're still a man who makes wrong choices." His eyes are downcast and maybe he understands what I'm trying to say. "I thought you'd changed," I add. I really thought he did… he seems so much different, but maybe it's just me wanting him to be a better man that I made myself believe that he is.

"What? In the hour you've known me?" he replies with a huff. That's the last straw. I can't stand here any longer. I'm furious and I can't hold in my tears. I don't want him to see that he's gotten to me so I do the only thing I can. I flee. "Belle," he says as I reach the door. "I'm sorry. Belle, I'm sorry. I am" I don't care for his apologies or his excuses right now. I just need to go.

As I walk down the unfamiliar street I realize that it's dark and very windy. My anger is stronger than my fear of the unknown so I just continue walking until my feet start to hurt. My head is jumbled with so many emotions and thoughts that I can't make out anything. Finally I come to what seems to be a park and I sit down on a stone bench. Resting my face in my hands I try as hard as I possibly can not to cry.

I don't know what's happening… why can't he just be a normal man? Does he truly love me? I know he did before because his curse broke the first time we kissed. Why did nothing happen when we kissed in the forest? He still has his magic but his appearance hadn't changed back. I don't understand this world… I _know_ nothing of this world that I have been thrown into. I have nowhere to go. Perhaps I can find an inn or something to spend the night… it's getting cold and I'm shivering.

My head snaps up and suddenly I find strength. I don't know why my mind is such a muddled mess… what is happening to me? I've waited years to be with him again… why at the first sign of him being who he always has been do I run off? When I was kidnapped I swore that I would never stop fighting for him… and I'm certainly not going to stop now that I have him back. I love him and I know that he loves me back, so I'm going to go to him and make him be a better man… for himself and for me.

With a renewed vigor I make my way back to his shop and notice that they sky has brightened and the wind has died down. I assume that whatever it was that he sent after Regina has either been vanquished or it has claimed its bounty. I don't care. All I care about is the man that I love and getting back to him.

When I find his shop again, I march right in the front door and into the back room where I know he is hiding. I step through the curtain and my heart softens as I see him spinning at the wheel in the corner. A small smile graces my lips as I remember watching him doing that for hours… a faraway look in his eyes. 'It helps me forget,' he said.

"Hi," I say as he turns towards me.

"Hey," he replies with a slight smile and a look in his eyes that tells me that he didn't expect my return.

"I, uh… went for a long walk," I tell him.

"I thought you didn't want to see me?" he replies.

"I didn't." Which is the truth… at the time I didn't but now I do. "But I… I was worried," I tell him. I am worried of what he will become without me around to keep him in line. I desperately want him to be a better man… the man that I know he can be if given the chance.

"Well, the beast is gone and Regina… lives," he replies with a slight shrug of his shoulders. I really could care less about the evil witch. I just don't want him to be responsible for her demise and I am a bit glad that she is okay… for his sake.

"So… you didn't get what you wanted?" I ask.

"Well that remains to be seen." He's staring into my eyes and I know he's speaking about me.

Before I'm able to reply, my gaze lands on the stand next to his spinning wheel and my heart stops. Sitting there looking quite out of place is the teacup that I chipped the first day I was at his castle. The only thing that I left him with… along with an empty heart. I can't believe that he still has it.

I walk over and pick it up. I carry it back to where he is sitting. "You, uh… you still have it," I say with a small smile. "My chipped cup."

He looks as if he's getting teary-eyed again as he rises and takes the trinket out of my hands. "There are many, many things in this shop," he says. "But this? This is the only thing I truly cherish. And now you must leave."

"W-What?" I stammer. What is he talking about? He's throwing me out again? Why?

"You must leave because, despite what you hope, I'm still a monster." I can see his self-loathing swimming in his expression and my heart melts. 'You're not a monster,' I want to yell at him… 'just a stupid man.' I don't know how many times I have to remind him that he's not what he says he is.

I shake my head and can't help but laugh a bit at him. "Don't you see? That's exactly the reason I have to stay," I tell him as I grasp his shoulders to make him focus on me. I'm staying to show him the kind of man he can be. I learned a long time ago that when you find something worth fighting for… you never give up and he is certainly something worth fighting for.

I lightly tug on his shoulders urging him to stand. He's still staring at me in disbelief and I smile again to reassure him that I'm not going anywhere. "I've made my decision. I'm not going anywhere," I tell him as he stands and lets me wrap my arms around his neck. "I was on my way back to you when I was abducted and it's taken me this long to find you… you aren't getting rid of me that easy." His arms tighten around me, pulling me close to him and I hear a light sob erupt from him.

"Hey," I say as I pull back to look at him. Tear tracks are running down his cheeks and I cup his face in my hands, brushing the wetness away with my thumbs. I lean in and press my lips to his in a chaste kiss that again sends shock waves through my body. His lips begin to move against mine and I reach up to rub the back of his neck with my hand. I become overwhelmed with emotion and a desire to show him just how much I want him. I deepen the kiss by running my tongue along his lower lip causing him to open his mouth to allow me to fully taste him. I let out a soft moan when his tongue begins to wrestle with mine.

When we finally pull away from each other, I am gasping for breath and feeling a bit dizzy. Pressing my forehead against his I am suddenly aware of how tired I am… I've had more activity today than I've had in an unbelievably long time.

"I'm tired," I tell him as I let my body sag against his. "Can we go home?"

"Yes," he nods before taking my hand and leading me out of the shop and toward a machine that he calls a car that will take us to his house.


	2. Chapter 2

"I apologize for the clutter," he states as we cross the threshold into his house. "It's not often that I have guests." Looking around, I can't help but let out a small chuckle… he's right, it is a bit of a mess. I remember when I first entered the Dark Castle and how it looked like the floors had never been swept nor had anything been dusted since he had moved in. It didn't take me long to realize that he did in fact need a caretaker… desperately. This new house looks just the same.

"Come, I'll show you around." He places his hand on my lower back as he begins leading me. First, we enter the room to our left, which consists of a few armchairs, a setee, a fireplace with a large mirror above it, and several round tables with more clutter thrown on top of them. "This is the main living room," he says as we pass through. I think he's a bit nervous… which is rather endearing.

The next room we come to is the kitchen which has double doors leading out onto a patio. "Uh, this is obviously the kitchen," he states. I nod in reply and I notice a stack of dishes sitting in the sink waiting to be washed, along with many contraptions that I do not recognize sitting on the counter top. "And through there is the dining area," he motions to our right.

Making our way through the dining room, we reach the staircase. At the top is a long hall to the right, but he motions toward the single doorway to the left. "That is my room," he states before steering me off to the right. "There are three guest bedrooms, and here is the bathroom," he motions to the only doorway on the right side of the hall.

"Uh, I'm sure you're dying for a bath," he states as he opens the door. This bathroom is almost as grand as his old one… with a large claw-foot tub along the wall.

"What do I smell bad?" I tease.

"No, not at all," he replies in a rush shaking his head. "I just remember how much you loved bathing, and figured it's been awhile… and you should relax a bit."

I reach out and rub my hand up his arm as I let out a laugh. "It's okay, I was just playing. And yes, a bath sounds absolutely lovely. Thank you."

I notice him take a deep breath before stating, "The knob on the right is the hot, and the one on the left is the cold. I'll, uh… lie out some clothes for you in the room across the hall." His nervousness is adorable and I can't hide my grin any longer. "In the mean time, I'll make us something to eat. Meet me in the kitchen when you're done." He suddenly turns and walks back down the hallway.

I shut the bathroom door before kicking off my shoes and slipping out of my dress. Crossing to the tub, I put the stopper in the drain and turn on the right knob all the way. As I wait for the water to fill up, I rifle through the cabinets to find a washrag, shampoo, and soap.

Once the tub is full and a healthy steam is billowing from the hot water, I ease myself in. I lay my head back and sigh as the water eases my aching limbs. This is the most relaxed I've felt in a long time and I close my eyes and feel myself drifting off to sleep. Shaking my head to wake myself up, I begin to wash the buildup of grime out of my hair and off my body.

Wrapping myself in a white fluffy towel, I cross the hall and find that he has laid a pair of cotton trousers and a black tee shirt for me to wear on the bed. I find that I am somewhat glad that he doesn't have women's nightclothes in his house. After dressing, I sit down at the vanity and begin to brush my hair. When I am done I put it in a simple braid and rise to head back downstairs to see what he has prepared for dinner.

Looking into the kitchen from the bottom of the stairs my heart stops, and I take in a deep breath. He is bent over the kitchen sink… arms rigid with his hands grasping the counter top. His head is lowered and his body is shaking with sobs. My heart clenches in my chest seeing him in such pain. He doesn't realize that I'm here so I walk over and slip my arms around his waist and rest my head against his back. "What's wrong?" I murmur against his shirt.

He turns around as if my words broke him out of his thoughts. His eyes are bloodshot, and his cheeks are streaked with tears. "Me," he chokes. "I'm wrong."

"What are you talking about?" I ask as he wraps his arms around my waist and lowers his head to rest on my shoulder as the sobs continue to wrack his body. I rub his back in soothing circles as I wait for him to explain further.

"It's all my fault… I'm so sorry, Belle." He is holding me so tight that I think he might crack my ribs. Grabbing at his arms, I coax him to loosen his grip and grab his face in my hands urging him to look at me as he continues.

"I never should have sent you away. You were right… I am a coward. The biggest coward… I've been hurt so many times in the past that I couldn't believe that you could truly love me. When you kissed me I was so terrified of losing my powers, that the only thing I could think of was that you were trying to destroy me. And then you left and were captured because I loved you."

My heart is breaking as I look upon his pain-ridden face. "Shh, please don't cry," I say as I pull him tighter to me. "It's not your fault… If you want to blame anyone, blame Regina. And, hey, I'm here now and I'm fine… we're together." I let him cry out his feelings, wetting the shirt that he let me borrow.

"So… what did you make me for supper?" I ask after a moment, hoping to lighten the mood.

"A frozen pizza… it's all I had," he states with a huff. I have no idea what frozen pizza is so I just rub my hand up and down his arm in a comforting reply. "I promise I will go to the store tomorrow and buy groceries."

He leads me to the dining table where there are two plates set out with a couple pieces of triangular food upon them. I sit down and stare at the toasted bread covered with sauce and cheese. It smells appetizing, so I pick it up and take a bite.

"Wow, Rumple, this is really delicious," I gush after tasting the strange food. It's a relief to eat something that isn't bland or stale for once.

"I'm glad you like it," he replies with a small smile.

I reach over and lay my hand on top of his. "You look like there's something on your mind," I say noticing the look in his eyes that tell me he's dying to say something.

"You wanted adventure and to see the world… I could have, I should have shown you everything you wanted, and now if we never get to go back home you will never see it." His eyes are looking at his plate as he says this.

"Rumple, I got to see _plenty_ after leaving your castle. I went on an adventure and even became a hero."

"You did? I thought you were abducted right after you left?"

"No, not for a few months after," I say shaking my head. "I ended up joining a band of men on a mission to kill a Yagoui."

"A Yagoui?" he sputters. "They are very dangerous, you could have been killed."

I can't help myself from laughing a bit as I remember that the creature wasn't a bit dangerous, just misunderstood.

"He wasn't dangerous," I say. "It turns out that he was actually a man who was cursed by an evil witch. I ended up freeing him from his curse with fairy dust that I procured from a dwarf."

"Wow, that sounds like quite the tale," he says with awe. "I'm glad that you got an adventure."

"Me too," I tell him wishing that I could have had adventures with him instead.

"Belle," he says after I've finished my meal. "We can leave Storybrooke now that the curse is broken. Would you come with me to explore this world?"

"Really?" I ask. "I would love to." It doesn't matter what world I'm in, I will go anywhere with this man.

He smiles as he rises and takes our dishes into the kitchen. I stand up to follow him and notice that he just drops them into the sink… not bothering to clean them. Shaking my head, I walk over, turn the water on, and start cleaning.

"Stop," he says reaching for my arm. "You don't have to do that."

"I don't mind, it needs done… and by the looks of it, your entire home needs a good cleaning."

"You're not my maid any more. I don't want you doing that."

"If I'm going to be staying here, I will clean," I tell him with a smile. I really don't mind living in a clean house, but I decide to heed his words for tonight… tomorrow will be a different story.

"You should retire for the night," he says after I fail to stifle a yawn. He's right, I am very tired and sleeping in a real bed sounds amazing.

He walks me upstairs to the room I was in earlier. I would rather spend the night with him. I really don't want to be alone, but I know it would be too untoward of me to ask to sleep in his bed.

"Goodnight, Belle," he says to me as he strokes his hand down my cheek.

"Goodnight, Rumplestiltskin, and thank you… for everything," I reply, leaning up to kiss him before walking into the room. I shut the door and practically run over and jump into the big bed. Sinking down into the soft down comforter, I feel myself having trouble staying awake. I slip beneath the covers and sigh, feeling as if the events of the past thirty-some years hadn't happened.

"Belle, Belle!" I hear someone yelling as I am being shaken awake out of a terrifying nightmare. "Waken up, Belle." My eyes snap open, and as I stare up into the face of the man I love, I am overcome with a strong feeling of nausea. My head feels like its being cleaved in two and I am freezing, though my body is soaked with sweat.

"You were having a nightmare," he states with a worried expression. Yes I was, but it is the least of my worries as I now feel like I'm going to die.

"Rumple," I moan reaching out to grab his arm. "I don't feel well."

"You don't look well… you were having a fit and you're all clammy." He climbs into the bed next to me and lays his hand upon my forehead "You're burning up."

Oh, no I feel my stomach churn and bile rise up my throat. "I'm gonna be sick," I groan feeling myself growing dizzy. I sit up against the headboard and before I lose the contents of my stomach, he shoves a conjured bucket in my lap. I vomit up everything I ate for dinner and I'm still gagging as he vanishes the contents of the bucket. "Thank you," I reply as I lean back and close my eyes. He slips his arm around my back, causing me to rest my head upon his shoulder.

"What's wrong," he asks.

"I don't know," I reply. "I had a very vivid nightmare… more like a memory. I was back in Regina's tower, where she kept me after I was taken. Rumple, it was like I was _back_ there it seemed so real. I called out for you but you didn't come… you never came." I let out a whimper into his shirt as he tightens his grip on me.

"I didn't know… I never heard you," he replies in a rush.

"I know. There were markings… symbols on the walls. I assumed they were there to shield me from you," I say as I begin to shake as my whole body is wracked with pain.

"I hurt everywhere." The room is spinning and I feel myself about to vomit again. Moving away from him, I start gagging into the bucket but nothing comes out. "Help me, please," I beg.

"Lean back." I do as he says and close my eyes. He puts his right hand over my heart and I feel warmth spreading out and along my body as he heals whatever is wrong with me. Even though I am apprehensive about him using magic on me, I instantly feel better. But not a minute later the pain is back and I can't hold in my scream as I sit up. I grab my head and choke on more bile.

"It didn't work. I'm going to die," I cry rocking back and forth.

Looking over, I see that his eyes are as wide as saucers and he's shaking. "Rumple, what's happening to me?" I ask him hoping for an answer.

"I don't know. I don't know," he cries. "That should have healed you but magic is different here, I'm not a fraction of how powerful I used to be." Tears are welling in his eyes and I can tell he's just as terrified as I am.

My whole body is shaking now and I really think I'm dying.

"When you were in the asylum… did they give you anything?" He asks shaking his hands. "Injections or pills?"

"Yes," I say realizing what he's thinking. "They would come in twice a day and inject me with something. I don't know what."

"Damn it," he curses as he flies to the opposite side of the bed and reaches for the telephone on the small table.

"What are you doing?" I ask him, missing his warmth already.

"Calling Victor," he replies as he begins to punch in random numbers on the device.

"Who?"

"Doctor Whale, he runs the hospital. I don't know what they've been drugging you with in that place… you're obviously going through some sort of withdrawal."

"No," I screech reaching for his arm and knocking the telephone out of his hand. "Please, Rumple no doctors. They'll take me back there… I can't go back there." I'm terrified.

"Belle, I don't know what else to do. My magic can't cure you… I can't lose you again," he cries on the verge of hysterics. "I promise I will not let anything happen to you. Whale will know what they've been giving you. He will help."

"No, please no," I beg but I know I am losing the battle as he reaches down to pick the phone up off the floor. Letting out a deep breath, I lie back down and I am almost in a complete haze as I hear him speaking with the doctor.

When I open my eyes, I realize that I must have fallen asleep because the doctor is here now. He is standing just inside the doorway speaking with Rumple in hushed tones. I don't recognize him, which makes me feel a little better. If one of the doctors that I saw in the hospital came, I wouldn't be able to go through with this.

"I've looked over her file," I hear him say. "And it seems that she's been given a large dose of Clozapine twice a day since she's been in the asylum."

"What is that?" Rumple asks, looking murderous.

"Well, it's a drug used to treat severe schizophrenia. It's a very dangerous drug and can cause an array of side effects. Was her cursed-self mentally ill? Or did Regina just stick her in there for no reason?"

"The latter I believe," is his reply. "Why do you think Regina is the cause for her being there?"

"It's obvious, considering the only contact information held in her file belongs to our dear mayor."

I can feel his wrath from across the room, and decide to make myself known. "I don't think I had a cursed-self," I say barely loud enough for the two men to hear as I sit up. "My mind was just… blank. All I knew were those four white walls.

In a second, Rumple is back on the bed next to me. I see him glare at the doctor as he throws his arm around my shoulders, pulling me to his side.

"What are your symptoms, Belle?" The doctor asks as he walks to my side.

"Nausea, fever, pain… incredible pain," I tell him as I close my eyes and lean heavily on Rumple.

"It sounds like you're going through withdrawal symptoms, which isn't uncommon with this medication. The safest thing to do is to be weaned off the drug. I'm going to give you a smaller dose than you've been getting now to start you off. I will get you a prescription and you will have to continue to take the pills until they are gone." I nod my head in reply. I don't want any more of that stuff, but I understand what he's saying.

Rumple grabs my hand and holds it tight, I'm sure he can feel my anxiety rolling off me in waves. "I'm right here," he says reminding me that he's not going anywhere as he presses his lips to my temple.

"First, I'm going to draw some blood," the doctor says as he holds out my left arm. I remember them doing that to me in the asylum every once in a while… I did not enjoy it then and really don't want it now.

"Why?" Rumple asks demanding clarification for everything he's doing to me.

"I need to run tests, this drug can cause serious adverse reactions… it can be fatal."

"I'm gonna die?" I look over to Rumple and his eyes are nearly black as he tries to reel in his anger.

"No dear, I won't let that happen," he replies, glaring daggers at the good doctor.

"She's had prior blood tests, and they came out fine," the doctor reassures us. "This is merely precautionary."

I turn my head into Rumple's shirt as I feel the doctor begin to draw blood from the inside of my left elbow.

"I'm done," he states and I turn back toward him. "I'm going to now give you an injection of the same drug you were on, but in a smaller dose," he reiterates before pulling out a syringe from his bag. I close my eyes and return my face to Rumple's shirt as he proceeds… I've come to the realization that I really hate needles.

"I'm going to go run the blood tests and see if everything is okay and I will return in the morning," he states when he is finished with everything. "I also suggest that you make an appointment with Doctor Hopper," he says looking over at Rumple. "She's been through a traumatic experience and would do her good to speak to him."

"Another doctor?" I ask. I don't want any more doctors… one was too much.

"We'll talk about it later." I feel Rumple kiss the side of my head again as he rises from the bed to show the doctor out. "Thank you, Victor," I hear him say before they descend the stairs.

I hear the clicking of his cane on the hardwood floor as he makes his way back into the bedroom. I'm having trouble keeping my eyes open, already feeling better and so very tired. I feel him sink down into the bed beside me and wrap his arms around my waist, pulling me close to him.

"How do you feel now?" he asks.

"Sleepy," I reply with a yawn. "But I don't want to go to sleep. I don't want to have another nightmare."

"Just think of a happy memory… it will help you have a happy dream," he states with a warm smile.

"Will you stay with me?" I ask, hoping that he will. "I don't want to be alone anymore."

"Yes, I'll stay with you," he whispers as he settles himself further into the bed. "I'll stay with you forever."

I look up at him and can't help the smile that crosses my face. He asked me to think of a happy memory, and even though the words he just spoke will be filed with the most wonderful things in my life, my mind drifts back to another time that I was truly happy.

"What are you thinking of?" he asks.

"The moment, I believe, that I realized I was falling in love with you."

"When was that?" he asks.

"My Rumple," I sigh as I reach up to run my fingers through his hair. I don't answer his question as my mind is quickly drifting off to a time long ago in a land far far away…

_~Fairy Tale Land That Was~_

_The grounds surrounding the Dark Castle were blanketed in a fresh powdering of snow as I strolled along the perimeter of the keep. I had just served Rumplestiltskin his afternoon tea and couldn't wait any longer to immerse myself in the majesty of the mountain range. Sitting down on the stone bench next to the pond, I took in the sights. The view was more beautiful than any painting I had ever seen as the sun's rays streamed through the wispy clouds in the blue sky and struck the white peaks of the mountains. _

_It was then that I realized that the pond was completely frozen over, and I was reliving memories of my mother teaching me to ice skate. Rising to my feet, I turned and ran back towards the castle and up the long staircase to my bedroom. Dropping to the floor, I dug under the bed and pulled out a pair of worn leather skates that I found a few days prior. Exchanging my heavy cloak for a warm wool cardigan, I ran back outside for a bit of excitement. _

_Upon reaching the bench, I quickly rid myself of my boots and put on the skates that were slightly too large for my feet. I tied the laces as tight as possible with hope that I wouldn't be too hindered by the size. Stepping onto the ice, a large smile graced my face and I threw my arms out to steady myself. It had been years since I had done this, and I tried to remember everything I was taught. It took a few minutes for me to get the hang of it again, and in no time I was twirling around like not a day had passed since I was with my mother._

"_What in the blazes are you doing, girl?" I fell straight on my butt as I was jarred out of my memories and happiness by my enigmatic master's yell. Jumping back to my feet, I looked over to find Rumplestiltskin standing on the ice a few feet in front of me. His arms were crossed over his chest and he had a furious look in his dark eyes._

"_Ice skating," I said matter-of-factly, gliding over and circling around his lithe form. Most people would be scared out of their minds if that look was directed at them, but I'd found out over the few weeks that I'd been there that I had no need to fear him._

"_Well, stop it this instant," he growled, baring his teeth._

"_Why?" I asked, wondering why he was so ill-tempered all the time._

"_Because the ice will break, you will fall into the water, get hypothermia… and die. Then I will have to find a new caretaker… and as I've said before good help is hard to find." My smile grew as I watched him waving his arms around for emphasis during his tirade._

"_Aw, are you worried about me, Rumple?" I asked sweetly coming to a stop in front of him._

"_No, I'm worried about not getting my dinner," he huffed in reply._

"_Hmm," I thought as I skated around him once more, as he spun around in a circle to keep his eyes on me. "How about I make you a deal," I said coming to a stop back in front of him. _

_I could tell he was annoyed with me, yet he raised his left eyebrow in consideration of my audacity. "You come and skate with me and I will make you blueberry crème brulee for dessert," I said wiggling my eyebrows at him. I had made the treat for him a few days after I arrived hoping to get on his good side, and I believed it was certainly a factor into his changed behavior toward me. "And that way, you can make sure that I don't die."_

_I could tell he was considering the offer as his eyes drifted over the snow-capped peaks in the distance. _

"_Deal," he said before vanishing. _

_Letting out a huff, I spun around searching for him… I hated when he would disappear on me. I was about to call out for him but before I was able to open my mouth I felt his hands come around my waist as he turned me around to face him. He let out a giggle at my startled expression and immediately sped off to the far side of the pond. I noticed that he had donned a pair of skates and looked every bit as confident as if he were walking on solid ground. I was about to make my way over to him, but he was back in front of me in a flash._

"_I have but one question for you, dearie," he said raising his right index finger in the air. "Where did you find the skates?" He pointed down at my feet with both hands._

"_In the west tower," I replied with a shrug. _

"_Hmm…" was all he said before skating in a circle around me. "And what were you doing in the west tower?"_

"_I was cleaning… it's my job don't you know," I teased._

"_Well then why are you out here enjoying the weather when you should be doing your job?" he asked with a playful glimmer in his eyes._

_I skated backwards away from him. "Well, my vicious master would have me scrubbing the grime off the floors all day," I replied with a grin, "but I decided I could endure his wrath in exchange for a little free time."_

"_I'm vicious now, am I?" he asked throwing his hand over his heart and opening his mouth in a show of mock exasperation. _

"_You are The Dark One, are you not?" I replied with my eyebrows raised._

"_Ah, that I am… therefore you, dearie, should fear my wrath," he said before darting at me._

_Letting out a little scream, I spun and skated as fast as I could away from him. I circled the pond three times before I felt my feet going in the opposite direction of my body and I landed hard on the ice. Not realizing he was mere inches away from me when I tripped, he ended up falling right on top of me. His arms came out to brace himself on either side of my body, keeping him from crushing me with his weight. _

_Time seemed to stand still as I looked up at his shocked expression, his eyes changing color from black to a warm brown. My breath caught as my heart began pounding inside my chest and the feeling of butterflies assaulted my stomach. My eyes drifted from his down to his mouth and I felt a strange new desire to lean up and press my lips to his. Before I could contemplate this not entirely unwanted emotion, he was gone… vanished back to his castle._


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you to those who reviewed/Favorited/followed! I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I did writing it. Please, please let me know what you think.**

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The bright sunlight streaming in through the window hits my closed eyelids bringing me out of my slumber, and at once I'm very confused. There is no natural light that shines into my cell, nor is my cot anywhere near as soft as this magnificent bed. Slowly, I open my eyes and take in my surroundings. A bright smile lights up my face as the realization hits me that the events of the day before did, in fact, happen. Whipping my head around, my heart constricts in my chest as I see not Rumplestiltskin lying next to me, but an empty space. The pulled back covers and the indent in the pillow are the only evidence that he had been here with me during the night.

Pushing the thick comforter off my legs, I sit up and am ready to leap out of bed when the door opens. My nerves settle as he walks in, impeccably dressed in another black suit and balancing his weight on his cane.

"Good morning," he says looking a bit startled at my expression. "How are you feeling?"

"Good," I reply, relaxing and giving him a small smile. "Good… and a little disoriented." He strides over to the bed and sits down next to me, grasping my hand as I continue. "Yesterday's events are a bit of a blur… I still can't believe that I'm here with you."

"I know how you feel," he says as he looks up into my eyes. "For so many years I thought you were dead."

"Regina told you that?" I guess. He nods his head in reply and chooses to look at our entwined hands rather than my face.

"Why did you believe it?" I ask, gently stroking his hand with my thumb.

He huffs and runs his other hand through his hair. "She told me that when you returned home, your father locked you away… sent clerics to _cleanse your soul_ of any evil that I imparted you with. She said that you ended up killing yourself."

I lower my eyes from his pained expression to stare at our hands, and silently urge him to continue.

"It wasn't hard for me to believe," he states after a few moments of silence. "I know that I'm a monster... and your father did what anyone would do to whoever should associate with the likes of me. But, I didn't believe it completely until I went to Avonlea to seek the truth."

"You spoke with my father?" I ask snapping my head up to look in his face. He looks back at me but his eyes, filled with pain and regret, do not meet mine.

"No," he shakes his head. "I made a promise to you that your family and friends would be safe. If I did find out he was responsible for your death and he was standing in front of me, I would have broken that promise in an instant. No, I asked around the kingdom. Several people told me that you had died. Of course, I believed the worst… that what I had been told was the truth. I'm so sorry that I didn't try harder… I could have saved you from so much."

"It's alright, what's done is done… and now I'm free of her," I tell him with a slight shrug, not wanting him to break down again. "But I am still angry with you," I add in a lighter tone with a smile.

"Why?" he asks, his brows furrowed knowing that I'm no longer speaking of my captivity.

"Our deal… it was forever and you broke it," I tell him.

"Well…" he drawls finally looking directly at me. "Now that you've returned to me you will remain here forever," he finishes with a hard look and a bit of his old playfulness in his eyes. "That is if you want… it's entirely up to you," he adds in a hurry.

I chuckle and tilt my head as I gaze into his handsome face. "Do you want me to stay?"

"Yes," he replies without thought, causing my heart to soar.

"I will stay here if you kiss me," I say with a small smile as my line of sight drifts to his lips.

Without hesitation, he brings his hand up to my face, cupping my cheek as he leans closer. Our lips meet and I wrap my arms around his neck, threading my fingers through his long silky hair. Leaning back on the bed, I pull him down on top of me as I open my mouth to allow his tongue access. I am getting lightheaded as the kiss becomes ever more passionate, and I try to pour every ounce of love that I have for him into it.

I hear him moan softly as my tongue begins tracing the roof of his mouth, and I suddenly become very aware of the position we have found ourselves in. He is lying almost flush against me, hips cradled between my thighs, and the evidence of his arousal pressing into me through his trousers. I'm a bit nervous, yet surprised to discover that I don't want to stop what we're doing. Sliding my hands into his jacket, I begin to remove it from his shoulders. He shrugs out of it and throws it onto the floor, only breaking the kiss for a moment.

"Rumple," I gasp as he subtly grinds his hips against me, sending a shockwave of pleasure through my body. Wrapping my arms around his back I begin to rock my hips against his, needing the friction to quell my aching desire. I gently pull his shirt out of his trousers. I want to be closer to him… without all these layers in between.

He moans my name as my hands meet the flesh of his lower back, and he moves his lips to my neck and begins trailing light kisses down my throat. Before bringing his lips back up to mine, I wince and squeeze my eyes shut as my stomach gives off a very unflattering rumble.

"Sorry," I murmur, embarrassed.

As if being jolted out of a trance, he jumps back. His eyes are as wide as saucers, as if the realization of where our actions were leading frightens him. I reach up and run my fingers through his hair, trying to coax him back down.

"Uh… you're hungry… you need breakfast," he stammers before nearly leaping off the bed. I lay my head back on the pillow and close my eyes as my heart rate slows and my breathing evens out. "I'll, uh… go make you something," he continues as my traitorous stomach demands sustenance once again. I open my eyes to see him grabbing his jacket and cane from the floor, and can't help the laugh that escapes me as I watch him hobble out the door in a rush, his hair and clothing in complete disarray.

"Ugh," I groan, throwing my arm over my eyes. It takes me a few minutes to compose myself before I get out of bed and head for the bathroom across the hall.

When I make it downstairs, I find him leaning against the kitchen counter sipping a cup of tea and staring aimlessly out the window. He has brushed his hair and donned his jacket… looking like nothing untoward had just happened between us. I take a moment before making myself known, just to admire him… I could stare at him all day and never get bored.

"Hey," I say after a few moments. He snaps his head around as he is shaken out of his reverie… I wonder what was going through his mind, he looked so far away.

"Belle," he says with a slight nod of his head. I give him a small smile as I notice a slight blush climbing up his neck. "I made you some toast… as I said last night I'm a little sparse on food." He waves his hands around for emphasis.

"Toast sounds lovely," I tell him. I don't think I could keep much down right now anyway after the events of last night. He hands me the plate with two slices covered in raspberry jam and a glass of orange juice. "Thank you." I take the plate to the table and he follows sitting across from me.

"Doctor Whale came by this morning while you were asleep," he says after I finish eating my light breakfast.

"What did he say?"

"He said your blood work was fine, no worries there. And he also dropped off the medication that you have to take." He then raises his hand in the air and magically calls the bottle to him. I sigh in response… does he really need to use magic for something like that? He could have just gotten up and retrieved it from wherever it was.

Grabbing the bottle from him, and reading the label, I see that I'm to take two of the pills a day until the bottle is gone.

"You will need to make another appointment with him when you finish those," he tells me. I figured I would need to so I just nod my head. "And he mentioned you meeting with Doctor Hopper."

"Do I have to?" I ask.

"No," he says with a slight shake of his head. "But, I agree with him that it might be good for you. All you have to do is talk to him… it will help you come to terms with everything. As well as help with your nightmares."

I really don't want to see anymore doctors, but his big brown eyes, with a hint of sadness in them, are making it hard to say no.

"Alright," I tell him after a few moments.

"Thank you," he replies looking relieved. "I can have him come by this afternoon?"

"Okay." I nod.

"I have to go into town today, are you feeling up to venturing out?" he asks changing the topic.

I scrunch up my face. I really don't feel like leaving the security of his house… I'll admit it. I'm afraid. I hate being afraid… something I rarely was before meeting the Evil Queen. "No," I tell him. "I'm really not feeling too well. Why can't you stay here today?"

"I'm sorry. I really would if I could. But I have to get some stuff from my shop, not to mention you need clothes," he adds waving his hand at me still clad in his nightclothes.

"Perhaps I should go with you," I say as the thought of him shopping for me crosses my mind. That makes me almost more afraid than I am of Regina.

"Don't worry about it. If you're not feeling up to it, I will take care of everything," he replies.

"Okay, I'll take your word for it," I tell him with a grin. "When will you leave?"

"Right now, unless you want me to stay longer?"

"No, I'll be fine," I'll tell him even though I am a tiny bit anxious.

"I won't be gone long," he says rising to his feet. "But if something happens and you need to get a hold of me, this is my phone number," he adds handing me a piece of paper with nine digits on it. "Just punch in the numbers and I will answer."

"I'm sure I'll be fine," I tell him as I stand and wrap my arms around him. He presses his lips to the top of my head before walking out the door.

As soon as he's gone, I grab my dishes and head to the kitchen sink where there is still a large stack needing to be washed. In the cupboard underneath, I find soap and a sponge and get to work making his home more livable.

When I'm through making the kitchen sparkle, I move into the living room and begin tidying up his clutter. The coffee table is covered with an assortment of papers which I stack into a neat pile before dusting it with a feather duster I found in the hall closet. Similar to his shop, there are items from his castle thrown about this room… I wonder how he was able to bring everything with him. I also wonder if anything of mine was able to be transported.

Making my way through this room, I finally get to the cabinet in the corner and open it to find books… books, not of this world, but an array of titles from his library back home. Searching the titles, I am ecstatic to find the book that I was reading before leaving him… one that I had not been able to finish. I grab it and fall back into an armchair, losing myself in the pages.

I am jarred out of my reading by the front door opening. I must have lost track of time, I really wish I had been able to clean more without him around to tell me to stop. Setting the book on the coffee table, I stand up to meet Rumple who is followed by a rather large bald man… arms laden with several shopping bags.

Looking around the living room with a shocked expression, Rumple finally lays his eyes on me. "Belle, I told you… you don't have to clean."

"I heard you… but I also told you that I want to," I reply with a large smile.

"Oh, this is Mr. Dove," he says finally introducing me to the stranger. He just nods his head in reply, his features stern, before walking away and up the stairs… seems like an odd fellow.

Rumple and I follow him up and into the room we shared last night. The stranger drops the bags on the floor, turns on his heel, and walks away… still not saying a word.

"Is this all for me?" I ask eyeing the numerous bags.

"Of course, I wasn't sure what you'd like," Rumple replies with a nervous smile.

"Did you buy the whole shop?" I had expected him to pick me up a couple outfits, not everything he saw.

"Pretty much," he says. "I had to get Madam Toussaint to open her shop. I figured I'd at least buy a good bit, for her trouble."

"So sweet of you," I say with a grin as I sit down on the floor to begin going through the bags. There are several dresses, skirts, sweaters, blouses, trousers, jackets, under-garments, nightclothes, and several pairs of shoes. He really did a good job thinking of everything that I would need… and I really like his taste, I think as I hold up a dark blue button down blouse.

"Thank you, everything's beautiful," I say gratefully. "But, you really didn't have to spend this much money on me."

"I have plenty… and you're worth every penny." He gives me a warm smile, and I return it as I grab up some of the clothes and head to the bathroom, finally able to get ready for the day.

* * *

I can't seem to be able to tear my eyes away from Rumplestiltskin as I sit in the armchair across from him pretending to be reading. My mind keeps returning to this morning and what almost happened between us. I can feel my face flame at the images that my mind is creating, and pull the book up to cover myself in case he notices.

The doorbell suddenly chimes and I almost drop the book to the floor in surprise. That must be the doctor. After lunch, Rumple told me that he would be arriving soon to speak with me. I sit still as he rises to his feet and walks to the door. Trying… and failing to not follow him with my eyes, my traitorous mind can't help but admire his gracefulness even with his limp.

"Ah Doctor Hopper," I hear him say as he opens the door.

"M- Mr. Gold," I hear the man stutter in reply. He is soft-spoken and seems to be a bit frightened, which doesn't shock me… almost everyone I have ever met has been afraid of Rumplestiltskin.

"Come in," Rumple says and I see him move to the side and I get my first look at this man who I'm supposed to talk to. He looks nice… tall with a shock of red hair and thick-rimmed glasses. Not intimidating in the least.

"Hi, you must be Belle," he says as he enters the living room with a timid smile.

"Yes, and you must be the psychologist," I answer as I rise from my seat to shake his outstretched hand, noticing how firm his grip is. "Would you like to sit?" I ask waving my hands around, unsure what exactly I'm supposed to do.

He nods his head as he steps further into the room and takes the seat Rumple had just vacated, as I return to mine.

"Would you like me to stay?" Rumple asks from the entrance hall.

"No," I shake my head. I really do want him to stay but I know he has work to do, and I'm not afraid of this doctor. "You can head back to town," I tell him with a smile.

"Alright, I'll try not to return too late." He says before making his way out the door.

I notice that the doctor has pulled out a pad of paper and a pen, which he now has sitting upon his crossed knee. "So, Belle, how are you feeling?"

"I feel fine," I tell him with a smile. I must admit… I'm a little amused.

"Doctor Whale tells me that you had been incarcerated for the duration of the curse?" he continues.

"Yes," I reply nodding my head. "And for a couple years before the curse hit."

"Really?" he asks and I nod again.

"And how was that?"

How was it supposed to be? "Boring," I tell him. "I pretty much sat in a room and had no contact with anyone."

"What went through your mind during that time?"

"Pretty much just a desire to get back home… I tried escaping a few times but got caught before getting very far."

"And home is?"

"With Rumplestiltskin."

"And before that? Where did you live?"

"Avonlea," I tell him. "My father was the king, but I had absolutely no desire to lead the life he had planned for me."

"How did you end up with Rumplestiltskin?"

Boy, I didn't know I was going to regale this man with my entire life story. "The Ogres were attacking the kingdom, my father called upon the Dark One to end the war. He came and… as all magic comes with a price. I was the price. I was to move to his castle and become his caretaker."

"And how was that?"

"Exciting…" I drawl. I feel his kind eyes boring into me and I know he can feel my discomfort which is laced with amusement. Letting out a sigh, I continue, "At first he was cruel, and then we formed a strange friendship… I was only there a few months but it became the only place where I really felt at home," I add as my thoughts wander off. I really miss it there. I wonder where my life would have led if he hadn't thrown a fit when we kissed, if he had welcomed the breaking of his curse… but I guess I'll never know.

"How did the queen capture you?"

I snap my eyes back toward him as his next question shakes me out of my thoughts. "I left the Dark Castle for a while and I was on my way home when I ran into her," I say trying not to make it sound like my mind is in a far off land.

"And she abducted you then?"

"Yes," I tell him.

"What kept you going while you were imprisoned?"

"Rumple," I tell him honestly. "It was my need to get back to him, to be with him that kept me sane. And I knew that I would see him again, and that if I just wait the time will come."

"You knew you would be together again? How did you know?"

That's a good question. "I don't know," I tell him honestly. "It was just a feeling. Plus, I wouldn't accept the fact that fate had brought me to him just to rip us apart. Fate isn't that cruel."

"So, you believe in fate?"

"Yes… although I didn't before he came and took me away… The only fate for a princess is to marry a man that will become king and give birth to plenty of sons." I shake my head a bit, trying to get the image of the hulking knight who was my betrothed to go away.

"Let's get back to your recent incarceration," he says, and I'm relieved he doesn't want to ask questions about my old life. "What are your memories concerning that time?"

"All I knew was that I was crazy, because that's what the nurses said when they would come into my cell. I didn't have any memories of anytime that I wasn't in the asylum… for all I knew I was born there."

"What did you think about while you were there?"

I sigh as the memories of my time in the asylum come back to me. "I would create a life for myself in my head," I tell him. "I pretended I had a family and friends… and that I wasn't in that place." I let out a huff as I continue, "Some days good things happened to me in my dreams, and other times bad things happened… just like a true life. I would sometimes imagine that I was in love with a dashing, handsome man who would come into my cell and carry me away to freedom," I add with a laugh. "I know it's silly."

"Not silly at all," he replies and I give him a small smile.

"And you're having nightmares about being back in that place?" he asks.

"No, not the asylum," I tell him shaking my head. "And I only had one nightmare… just got my memories back yesterday," I remind him. "My nightmare was about being back in our land… I was in the tower that the Queen locked me up in."

"I see," he says. "What was it like… the dream?"

"It felt very real," I tell him. "Just like I was back there… really more like a memory resurfacing than a dream."

"But you didn't have another nightmare after?"

"No," I tell him knowing that the only reason I didn't was because Rumple was there with me.

"That's good." He nods his head as I catch him scribbling onto his paper, before looking at the timepiece on his wrist. "If you happen to have another nightmare, you can try clearing your mind before falling asleep. It's difficult for a lot of people, but it is known to help."

"Thank you," I tell him for the advice.

"It's about time for me to leave," he says rising to his feet, and I feel a bit relieved that this awkward encounter is finally over. "I would like to meet with you again in a few days time, if that's alright with you?"

"I'll let you know," I reply as I walk him to the door.

"It was nice meeting you, Belle," he says before making his departure.

"Same here," I tell him with a smile before closing the door after him. I let out a long-held sigh as I walk back into the living room, plopping down on the settee. Lying back, I throw my arm over my eyes and drift into a daydream about being back in the Dark Castle…something that I did often while in my first prison. I had imagined spending the rest of my life there and having a family with my eccentric Dark One. I wonder if my dreams can come true in this new land… even though it isn't home.

I must have dozed off for a while, for when I open my eyes the house is bathed in darkness, with only the moonlight shining through the windows. My heart stops as I am overcome with a sense of dread… I don't like the dark after spending so long in it. Not to mention, Rumple hasn't returned home yet. Jumping to my feet, I run over to the wall and press the little light switch into the on position like I had been taught yesterday. My heart begins to slow as the overhead lights come on, and a feeling of relief washes over me as I hear the front door opening.

Rumple steps inside and I run over to him wrapping my arms around his neck in a crushing embrace.

"Hey," he says holding me close in his strong arms. "I apologize for my lateness… something came up. Is everything alright?"

Loosening my arms, I back away so that I can look into his face. "I'm okay," I chuckle. "I just dozed off, woke up in the dark… and got a little spooked," I finish with a small shrug. "Are _you_ alright?" I ask him, noticing a strange look hidden in the depths of his eyes.

"I'm fine, nothing to worry about," he says as he disentangles our arms and walks into the kitchen.

"Rumple, something is most definitely wrong. You look worried about something. Is it Regina?" I ask as I follow behind him.

"I'm fine, Belle, really," he says as he turns to me and reaches for my hand. I decide not to push him, I know he has trouble talking about things, but I just wish he would open up to me. "I brought home pasta for dinner, if you're hungry," he says with a smile as I notice a couple containers sitting on the counter. I must have missed him bringing them in, or he used magic to deliver them.

"What's pasta?" I ask, curious to all the new foods of this land.

"What had they been feeding you in that place?" he asks with a shake of his head. "No pasta, no pizza."

"Mainly just soup… and bread, sometimes," I answer with a shrug. It was never very appetizing.

"Well, I hope you like this." I watch as he opens the containers and transfers the contents of noodles and sauce onto two plates.

"It smells wonderful," I say as my stomach grumbles.

He takes the plates and sets them on the table before coming back into the kitchen for two glasses of water.

"Do you ever cook?" I ask after finishing my supper, which I must say was just as excellent as the meal last night. From the lack of food in the house, to the pots and pans looking like they've never been used, I deduced that he primarily buys pre-made meals.

"Not really, I find it easier to just get takeout or heat up something frozen," he replies with a shrug.

"Will you teach me how to work the oven?" I ask. I looked at it earlier, and couldn't make head or tails of the strange contraption.

"Sure… tomorrow."

"Thank you, then I can make you a proper meal… even though this was very good."

He smiles at me as I rise and take the dishes into the kitchen and clean them before putting them on the rack to dry.

* * *

"We should probably be getting to bed," he says stroking his long fingers through my hair as I lay with my head in his lap on the settee in the living room. After dinner we retreated here, and I immediately took up this position after he sat down and I opened up my book to continue reading. However, it didn't take long for me to realize that I couldn't think about anything but being this close to him.

"Can I stay with you, tonight?" I ask as I sit up, setting the book back on the small table. The only way that I am leaving this position is if I can take up a similar one upstairs.

I see him gulp in nervousness. "Of course, if you wish."

"I'll go change and meet you in your room." I tell him as I quickly run off not waiting for a reply.

Once I enter what I've decided to call my room for the time being, I stride over to the dresser and pull out the silk nightgown that he bought me this morning. After slipping into it, I look in the mirror and notice just how revealing it is and wonder what was going through his mind as he bought it. Was he hoping to see me in it?

I head for the bathroom before making my way to his door, which is slightly open. My heart is beating at a furious pace as I enter. He is sitting up in the bed, legs under the covers, and looks almost as nervous as I feel. Pulling the covers back, he smiles and motions for me to join him, and my legs feel like jelly as I make the long walk to his bed.

When I slip under the covers, he immediately wraps his arms around me and I lean in to kiss him. My whole body feels like it's shaking as I press myself further into him. "Rumple," I breathe as I move my mouth to his ear. "Make love to me."

Instantly, he pulls back to look into my eyes. In his, I can see his nervousness and I'm certain he can feel mine. "I… uh… Belle," he stutters.

"Don't you want me?" Isn't this what he was expecting to happen? I certainly was. I want him… I need him.

"Y-yes… very much," he replies with a sigh. "It's just… it's been a _very_ long time since I've been with a woman."

I give him a small smile. "Well… I've never done this before," I tell him honestly. "I've never wanted to… until now. I want to… with you." I run my fingers through his hair and settle my hand on his cheek. Leaning into it, he presses his lips to my palm but remains silent.

"I've felt numb for so long… with no emotions but an emptiness that hasn't quite left yet," I tell him in a small voice. "But every time you touch me… my body feels like its on fire, and for the first time in years I feel as though I'm truly alive. Please Rumple, make me feel alive," I mutter as I move in to kiss him again. After a brief moment of hesitation, he reciprocates and I feel my heart begin to race.

His arms tighten around my waist and I feel him pull me on top of him. Breaking the kiss, I look down into his beautiful eyes for only a moment before pulling back while moving my hands to the buttons of his shirt. Straddling his waist, I slowly begin to expose the flesh of his chest while bending down to press my lips to each new inch of him that I uncover. I notice that the lower I go along his abdomen, the heavier his breathing becomes. When I reach the last button, I look up into his face and notice that his head is thrown back and his eyes are closed. Coming back up, I lightly kiss him lips, causing him to open his eyes.

He stares at me as I gently run my hands up his bare torso, helping him to remove the shirt. Sitting up, he slips out of it before pushing at my shoulders and rolling us over so that he is now above me. Leaning down, he presses his lips to mine in a soft and gentle kiss. I thrust my tongue into his mouth showing him my passion, while unable to stifle the gasp that escapes me as I feel his hardness pressing against my thigh.

Slowly, he begins to run his hands down my body before easing my nightgown up my legs. Feeling lightheaded, I rise and fumble around quickly, removing my clothing. I am completely at his mercy as he looks on my bare body with unmistakable love and lust in his eyes. "You are so beautiful," he murmurs, making me blush, before moving back to my lips and kissing me hard.

The kiss doesn't last long as he begins kneading my breast with his hand. I throw my head back in ecstasy as his mouth follows. Unable to stifle the inarticulate sounds that come out of my mouth, I am lost to the new sensations he is making me feel. My hips buck against his leg when I feel him suck my nipple into his mouth. I need his hands all over my body, and want to tell him what I desire, but I can barely think… let alone speak.

I shiver when he runs his hand down my stomach as his mouth comes back to mine. Kissing me again, I feel his hand slowly move ever lower toward the spot that I need him to touch the most. Finally, he reaches the apex of my thighs and brushes his hand across me, causing me to buck my hips into his hand. "Rumple," I moan into his mouth. "Please." I need him so badly it hurts.

Feeling his fingers stroke me, I let out a whimper as intense desire pools in my lower abdomen. Letting out another moan when I feel him slip a finger inside me, I am so overcome with what he is making me feel that I'm finding it hard to breathe. His kiss stifles the sounds that try to escape my lips as he thrusts his finger in and out. I can feel the pressure building inside me and I know that I am close to being completely overcome with the sensation.

"Belle," he moans breaking the kiss and looking down into my eyes. "Let go, love." At his words, I can't hold back any longer, and cry out as my body convulses around him. He removes his hand, bringing it up my body and pulling me close to his chest. His breathing is just as labored as mine is. I turn my head into his neck, breathing in his scent, as my heartbeat regains a normal pace.

Trailing light kisses along his collar bone I slowly regain my senses… and know that I need more of him. I let my arm slide down his torso until it reaches the top of his silk trousers. He inhales sharply as I slip my hand underneath and grasp his hardness. I stroke him lightly, feeling the length and girth of him… which is making me a bit nervous.

"You need to stop that, love" he pants. I look up at him before bringing my hand back to his waist as I begin lowering his trousers.

"I need you," I say as I press my lips to his.

Gently, he moves me away from him as he removes the rest of his clothing. He then settles himself above me, his hands planted on either side of my body. The look in his eyes is almost enough to make me lose myself again. I gasp as he moves his hips enough that I can feel him pressing into me.

"Are you sure this is what you want, Belle?" he asks. "There's no going back after this."

"Yes, Rumplestiltskin," I tell him as I run my hand through his hair. "I love you," I add as I lean up to kiss him again.

"I love you too," he replies as he begins to press further into me. Grasping his shoulders, I stifle a cry as I feel my inner walls stretching to accompany his size. It's painful, as I knew it would be, but I try my hardest not to let it show on my face.

I must not be that convincing because he suddenly stops. "Are you alright?" he asks in a rush, his eyes wide with fear.

"Yes," I tell him, "Just keep going." He leans down and kisses my lips, thrusting his tongue into my mouth as he resumes pushing into me. When he is fully sheathed inside me, he stops again, searching my face with his eyes.

"I love you," I tell him as my body conforms to his size. The pain is dissipating and beginning to be replaced by an incredible pleasure. I slowly begin to move my hips, letting him know that I'm okay.

"And I love you," he replies as he begins to draw himself out of me. I let out a loud cry as he pushes back into me, hard. There was no pain… only an intense feeling of ecstasy. He continues to rock his hips against me, drawing mews of pleasure out of me over and over again.

"Rumple," I moan as I feel myself reaching the precipice. I can't hold on any longer, the pressure building rapidly. I repeat his name over and over as I feel my entire body convulse around him for a second time. His eyes are dark and heavy-lidded as he thrusts into me another few times in quick recession before he throws his head back and groans as he achieves his own bliss.

Rolling off me, he pulls me into his chest. I can hear nothing but the pounding of my heart and his ragged breathing as we both come down from the exertion.

"Belle?" he asks, and I look up to see that he has a strange look on his face. It is then that I realize that tears are flowing down my cheeks. If I wanted him to make me feel alive, he certainly did that as I feel so many emotions welling up inside me all at once.

"I'm sorry," I say, embarrassed as I reach up to wipe my eyes. "I love you so much, Rumplestiltskin." I pull him closer to me, letting my head rest in the crook of his neck, as I breathe him in.

"I love you too, my Belle," he replies as he lays his head atop of mine.

A few minutes later, he shifts onto his back and I lay my head on his chest as I start to drift off to sleep.

"Why did you come back?"

I hear the whispered words, knowing he's not speaking to me but to the ether… words that he had spoken to me so long ago after setting me free from our deal.

"What?" I ask rising my head to look at him while stroking his chest in a soothing manner.

"I'm sorry, I thought you were asleep." He looks like he's embarrassed, and I smile at him waiting for him to answer my question.

"I have done nothing… _nothing_… in my unnaturally long life to deserve a gift such as you, Belle." His words are soft, and so full of emotion, that I can barely hear him. "You are the most wonderful woman in all the lands, and yet you choose me. Why?"

I smile as I pull his face so he's looking at me. "Because I see you, Rumplestiltskin," I tell him, stroking his cheek. "I see not the feared Dark One, but a man who is worthy of being loved. I see a kind and gentle man hidden beneath a mask that he refuses to shed. I love you with all of my heart, and know without a doubt that you are worthy of my love."

My heart beats wildly in my chest as he leans in, pressing his lips to mine in a kiss driven by nothing but True Love.


	4. Chapter 4

**Again, a warm thank you to those who've reviewed/fav'd/followed this story. This is my first real attempt at writing, so I really enjoy hearing what you think. Please continue to let me know, and I hope you enjoy this next installment! :-)**

* * *

My eyes slowly open, and I smile as I feel Rumple's arms wrapped around my waist from behind, his body pressed against me. His shallow breathing is tickling the nape of my neck, which is sending shivers of arousal throughout my body. Shifting ever so gently, I reach behind me to grab his hardness which is pushing into my lower back. He gives off a quiet moan in his sleep as I begin to run my hand up and down his smooth shaft.

"Hmm, that feels so good," he breathes into my ear as he gains consciousness.

"I didn't mean to wake you… I just wanted to touch you," I apologize as I let go of him and begin to turn around.

"Stay where you are." His voice is deep and rough as he pushes me back onto my side, which only intensifies my state of arousal. Reaching down, he eases my leg back and over his, and I let out a gasp as he cups me with his hand. "Hmm, so wet for me," he growls as he slides his fingers through my folds. "How do you feel?"

"Wonderful," I whimper, and arch my back into his chest as he continues to lightly stroke me. "Please don't stop."

"Not planning on it," he replies drawing a cry from my lips as he brings his other hand to my breast and lightly massages it. "I need to be inside you," he groans as he grinds himself against my back and nips at the skin where my neck meets my shoulder.

"Please Rumple," I beg and he moves slightly so that he is now positioned at my entrance. I reach down between my legs and grasp him, helping to guide him inside me. We both cry out as he enters me fully in one hard thrust.

"Oh, my Belle," he groans, stilling his movement and resting his face in the crook of my neck. "You feel so good… being inside you is like a euphoria that I have never experienced before. Every push into you…" he growls as he begins thrusting into me at a rapid pace, "makes me feel like I never have before… like my entire body is aflame and you are the only thing that can quench the fire…"

Either his voice is growing quieter or I'm moaning so loudly that I can't hear any more that he is saying. His words are pushing me over the edge, and his movements are making me cry out with every thrust. I want to talk back, to tell him that he makes me feel the same, but I can't speak as my body is overcome with the pleasure that he is drawing out of me.

"Rrrrumple," I groan as I throw my head back onto his shoulder. His hand leaves my breast to travel slowly down my stomach, and he begins to gently rub me above the spot where we are connected. Plucking at my bundle of nerves, I feel my head explode and my vision begin to fade as I am wracked with the sensation of my release.

He lets out a loud cry as he thrusts into me for the last time before his movements cease. Breathing heavily, he pulls me even tighter against him as he rests his head on my shoulder. I can feel him growing soft inside me, and moving his hips back a fraction he slips out. I feel such an incredible sense of completeness with him inside me, like my body was made for his, and with him gone I am suddenly struck with a strange sense of emptiness.

"Good morning," I say with a smile after he finally lets me turn around in the circle of his arms.

"It sure is," he replies with the most beautiful smile I have ever seen him wear. Reaching up, I wipe the sweat from his brow with my hand before leaning in to kiss his lips. As his mouth envelops mine, I realize that I will never get tired of kissing this man.

"So what are your plans for today?" I ask, breaking the kiss, and snuggling deeper into his embrace.

"Pretty much the same as yesterday," he replies letting his forehead rest against mine. "I need to check in at the shop and see what's going on around town."

"Can't we just stay here in bed all day?" I ask as I give him a soft peck on the lips. If I could, I would choose to stop time right now and never leave.

"I wish we could." He lets out a sigh, looking the way that I feel as he lets his fingers run up and down my arm.

"You never did tell me what was going on yesterday in town."

"Pretty much just people going frantic," he says with an amused glint in the depths of his eyes. "Regaining one's true memories can be an intense experience… the knowledge that the life you've been leading didn't really happen. People tend to get confused and scared." I know how that feels, but I didn't have another life thrust in my mind… just, I guess it would be similar to amnesia, as if I had fallen and hit my head.

"It must be hard," I think out loud before remembering something. "You had your memories when I found you… did you always have them or did you have a cursed life?"

"I had a cursed life. I was, and a part of me still is, Mr. Gold: Pawnbroker, businessman, attorney, and town pariah. I got my memories back the moment I met Emma, the one chosen to break the curse, a few months ago… it was hard. I drank a lot that night… I have a lot of memories and most of them aren't good."

"Who is this Emma?" I ask, never before hearing the name.

"Daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming, of course," he replies, raising his eyebrows and letting his voice rise an octave making me grin. "She escaped the curse, being sent to this world before the curse struck. Destined to return on her twenty-eighth birthday to end our suffering," he continues answering my unasked question.

I really hadn't given much thought to the curse in the past couple of days. I guess I've been too focused on being here and knowing who I am that the hows and why didn't quite matter. "Did you say Snow White?" I ask trying to hide my scowl.

"What's that expression for," he asks letting out a chuckle, "Met her, have you?"

I huff in reply. "A long time ago my father and her father, King Leopold, would get together every once in a while when Snow and I were children. She thought I was weird because my head was always shoved in a book. I thought she was a stuck-up brat, always thinking she was better than everyone else. It must be a great addition to her ego to know that her daughter was the one to break Regina's curse."

He lets off a deep laugh at my description of Snow. "I think you've got her pretty much right… stuck-up brat indeed."

"She was the woman that came into your shop the other night, wasn't she?" I ask making the connection.

"Yup," he replies with a small nod. "The whole Charming family… the blonde loudmouth is her daughter…"

"And the man I saw," I interrupt. "That was Prince James, wasn't it… your Prince Charming?" I thought he looked somewhat familiar but my memories were still resurfacing, and it had been many years since I last saw him.

"You know James, too?"

"Every year, my father would throw me a ball, hoping to find a suitable husband for me. For a long time James had his eye on me… and my father didn't disapprove, thought it would be a perfect match. Not to mention the combining of our kingdoms. James was a pig. He just wanted to get me into bed with him."

Another deep-throated laugh erupts from him. "I wonder what your father would say if I showed up hoping to claim your hand in marriage," he says reaching for my hand and bringing it to his lips.

"Oh no, don't even make me think about such a thing. He might've had a heart attack."

"But back to James, you might be pleased to know that he is dead. The man you saw with Snow White is his twin brother, David." Well, I'm not pleased that he's dead but I'm not sorry either.

"I wasn't aware James had a brother."

"Well, why don't you lie down and I'll tell you a little bedtime story," he says as he shifts and settles my head against his chest. "Many years ago in a land far far away, a mighty king and his wife were unable to have children."

"King George?" I ask, looking up at him.

"Shush, do you want to hear this tale or not?"

"Go ahead." I smile and he continues.

"One day, this mighty king called upon the most magical and fearsome creature in all the land, The Dark One, promising to pay him any price if only he could be blessed with an heir. Of course, the Dark One took on this challenge with enthusiasm, knowing that in the future the king would have something the Dark One might need. In the meantime, while he was searching for the perfect Prince, he was called upon by a poor farmer who was in need of money. It just so happened that this farmer's wife was pregnant with twin boys. The Dark One was joyous, for he would exchange a large amount of gold for one of the farmer's sons, who would one day become king. It was the perfect compromise for all involved.

The Dark One then took the child to the king, who loved him and raised him as if he were his own. He spoiled the lad, letting him have everything he ever wanted and not interfering with the wayward lifestyle the prince desired to lead. Several years later, the kingdom was heading into bankruptcy leading the king to make a deal with a wealthy king of a neighboring realm. The deal was that the prince would be wed to the daughter of the wealthy king and he would supply them all the gold they would ever need. However, the prince fell while engaged in combat with a foe, leading the king to lose not only his beloved son but also the gold that was promised.

Again, the king called upon the Dark One, pleading with him to bring his son back to life. Of course, that is impossible unless he wanted his son to be a zombie. So, the Dark One returned to the home of the poor farmer and spoke with the prince's brother about taking his place in exchange for fertile lands for his mother's farm. The brother agreed to take the place of his twin that he had no prior knowledge about.

And that, my dear, is how David became James." He finishes resolutely.

"That's quite a tale," I say as I take in everything he just told me. I want to learn more about his life… I want to know everything, and I'm so happy that he's opened up enough to let me have this tiny piece of his past. "I can't believe any parent would just give up their child for money," I add, astonished.

"I don't either," he says, his voice nearly inaudible. "I guess some people just don't understand that children are the greatest blessing anyone could have, and to just let them go…" His voice drifts away and I know he is speaking of his own experience with the son that he lost. I'm still waiting to hear more of that story.

"You didn't say what the Dark One received in exchange for obtaining a son for the king," I say, kissing him on the cheek, and attempting to lighten his mood.

"Well, my Belle, that's a tale for another day, the sun is rising and it's time to get up," he says as he nods his head toward the window. I know that I've achieved all the talk about him that he's willing to give up right now.

"I thought you said that was a bedtime story, which to me means bed," I reply as I tighten my arm around his waist stopping him from rising. I know that it's not going to keep him here… he's always been one to wake up with the sun, never once breaking his routine all the months I'd lived with him.

"You know what," he says and I look up at him with a smile, thinking that he's going to give in and stay in bed at least for a little while longer. "A cup of tea sounds really good right about now," he finishes and I let out a sigh in defeat.

"Come," I say as I begin to rise, and grab his hand. "Tea, then perhaps a bath?" I say wiggling my eyebrows at him. A bath with him definitely sounds like a decent compromise.

"Uh, why don't you go ahead and wash up… meet me downstairs when you're done."

Tilting my head to the side in confusion, I feel that something is up with him. He's being standoffish and I don't understand why. Then I realize that we've made love twice and I still haven't seen him naked, except from above the waist. Is he ashamed of his body? I don't understand why he would be, the leather trousers he used to wear didn't save a whole lot for the imagination. Shrugging inwardly, I decide that he's not getting his way. I reach down and rip the covers off him. Immediately his eyes open wide in fear and he hastily covers himself back up.

"Rumple," I say as I catch sight of what he obviously didn't want me to see… his right leg. Jagged scars race down from knee to ankle and it looks like the bone is protruding at an odd angle, as if it was shattered and neither set nor healed properly. "What happened to you?"

Letting out a long breath, he looks like he's trying to get his emotions under control. "Belle, I don't want to talk about it. I was hoping that you wouldn't see it, and wouldn't ask about it."

"I would have asked about it eventually, I have been wondering."

"It's something I'm ashamed of, and I really don't want to regale you with that tale." He looks angry.

"If we are going to be together, I'm going to see it. I want to be with you. Please, let me know what happened."

"I'm a cripple, Belle. That's all you need to know. This is who I am without magic… an old, ugly cripple."

"Rumplestiltskin, you most certainly are not ugly," I snap, having had to tell him that before. "The old thing I can't deny because you're immortal, and I don't care one bit that you are a cripple… I just want to know you." I can tell he's feeling uncomfortable so I decide to drop it.

"I'll let it go," I tell him and he instantly looks relieved, "but next time I ask you a personal question, can you answer it… for me?"

"Yes, I promise. It's just this," he motions to his leg which remains hidden under the covers. "Is really something I'm not comfortable talking about."

"Alright," I say as I bend down to give him a light kiss on the forehead before picking his shirt up off the floor and putting it on. It falls to about the middle of my thigh which seems decent enough for me to wander around with nothing else on. "I'm going to go make you some breakfast, come down in a little while."

He gives me a small smile as I turn and make my way out of the room and down to the kitchen. When I arrive there, I realize that I still have no idea how to use this strange electrical stove. The teakettle is sitting on the countertop, so first things first, I fill it with water and set it on one of the circles on the stovetop. It seems pretty self-explanatory with the little knob below, so I turn it slowly and notice that the circle turns red underneath the teakettle. Ah, that wasn't so difficult, I surmise, as I turn and begin rummaging in the lower cupboard for a frying pan.

"Well, that's quite a view," I hear and shriek in reply as I quickly stand, almost hitting my head on the top of the cabinet. Turning around, I notice that Rumple is standing behind me with a smirk on his face, and I can feel a blush rise up my cheeks.

"I didn't hear you come down," I say as I run my hands down the shirt I'm wearing, suddenly embarrassed at my lack of attire. He has donned his pajama bottoms and a dark red bathrobe, and I can't help but admire how appealing he is looking right now.

"I've come to the conclusion that I don't want you to burn my house down," he replies smoothly as he glides over and wraps his arms around my waist. "Would you like some help?"

"I think I've pretty much gotten the hang on the stove," I say as I motion to the teakettle sitting on the bright red circle. "I was just looking for a pan for eggs."

"Here." He steps around me and to the cupboard next to the one that my head was in previously and pulls out what I'd been looking for. I take the pan and put it on the stove before turning the knob for the circle all the way, while he goes to the refrigerator for a carton of eggs.

"Why don't you come over here and I'll show you how to work the toaster," he says after I crack a couple eggs into the hot pan. Turning around, I see that he has slid two slices of bread into the slots of the device and pushed the lever down. "Now, just wait for it to pop up and you have toast."

"Fascinating," I say, impressed at the simplicity of cooking in this new world. "How does the oven work?" I ask next.

"It's very simple, really. Just tell it what temperature you need and it will cook," he demonstrates by pushing several buttons to show me how to set it. This world seems so much more efficient than home, it makes me wonder why no one has ever thought of these things there.

"It's like magic," I say as I turn around to scoop the eggs out of the frying pan and replace them with two more.

"Yes, just like magic… in a world without magic," he laughs.


End file.
